Metal drop-leaf table



W. A. 'HALL Nov. 23 1926.

METAL Dr-OP LEAF TABLE- Filed MaICh 18, 1926 Patented Nev.

UNITED S'litalfllA PATE.

METAL DROP-LEAF TABLE.

Application filed March 18, 1926.

`body and the surface of the drop leaves is constructed of metal preferably having an enameled surface and further contemplates the employment of a novel supporting means for the drop leaves of the table.

For many years manufacturers of metal top tables have been striving to produce a practical drop leaf metal top table which can be covered with an enameled surface.

Prior to my invention attempts to produce atableof this type have been thwarted because of thefact that the abutting edges of :the main table top and the drop leaves have been permitted to contact when the leaves are in elevated or operative'position. This contacting between the enameled surfaces of i the leaves andthe main body portion of the table invariably causes a checking and cracking of the enameled surfaces adjacent the contacting edges of the table. and leaves7 :which soon results in a destruction of the table surface as the edges from `which the enamely has'cracked off soon corrode and rust.

' Furthermore it is necessary that the `metal .surfaced table leaf be rigidly supported to l`fpreventundue vibration of the leaf relative to the main 'portion of the table.

To this ...end my invention contempla-tes the provision sofa sturdilybuilt supporting-means for the table leaves.

my invention to provide means for `prevent- H Itis also a specificobject of ing the contacting of the enameled surfaces ofthe leaves and main' table portion thus avoiding the ill effects of fchecking' and cracking of the enamel incident to such coni -tacting In the drawings forming a part of this v application like reference characters` indi- .1 cate .like parts z Figure 1 is a top plan view of a table constructedin accordance with my invention.

, vFigure 2iis atransverse sectional view of the table: shown .in Figure I l, 'showing 'one skeleton frame 7. Vbeing secured to the skeleton frame at the Serial No. 95,664.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the mounting for the leaf supporting leg and Figure l is a detail view of the means for spacing the edges of the leaves from the main table body. f

The table top comprises the main body section 1 to which the drop leaves 2 and 3 are secured through the medium of the hinges 1. The main body comprises the legs 5, which are securely anchored at their upper ends in the rectangularv frame 6. Suitably secured to the rectangular frame 6 is a skeleton frame 7 adapted to project beyond the side edges of the rectangular frame 6 at either side as indicated at 8. An enameled metal surface member 9 having downturned edge flanges 10 is fitted over the top of the This surface member 9 ends thereof through the medium of screws 11 which project through openings in the downturned flange 10. The construction 0f the leaves 2 and 3 is the same and each is constructed in a manner similar to the main table top, that is, a skeleton frame 12 is provided for each leaf and an enameled metal surface member 13 similar to the surfacev member 9 is fitted over each of the skeleton frames 12 and secured thereto along the outer edge and at the ends through the medium of screws 14. An important feature of my invent-ion resides in the positioning of oversized screws 15 along the side edges of themain table body 1 and along the Yedges of the leaves which lie adjacent the table body when inelevated position. It is to be :noted that the screws 15 which secure the met-al surface member 9 to the skeleton frame 7 at the sides thereof are positioned directly opposite the screws 15 which secure the inner edges of the metal surface members 13 tothe skeletton frames 12 of the table leaves. A particular feature of novelty in the construction of my table resides in the fact that I employ theslightly oversized screws 15 in the positions indicated so that the heads of the opposed screws on the table body will abutjthe heads of the screws carried by the table leaves. when the leaves are in elevated position. Y By providing' slightly eversiaed. screws' theheadc't each screw wl project a very short distance beyond the enameled surface of the table or leaf. By positioning the screws 15 in opposed relation the heads of these oversized screws will abut when the table leaves are raised into operative position, and thus hold the adjacent enameled surfaces of the main table top and the leaves in slightly spaced relation throughout the entire length of the table. The abutting relation of the heads of the screws 15 is particularly shown in Figure 1l. This forms an important part of my invention, as it is through this means that I prevent contacting of the enameled surfaces of the leaves and main table top, thus preventing checking and cracking of said enameled surfaces. The screws 11 and 1st and particularly the oversized screws 15 are preferably constructed of a material which will be impervious to corrosion and rust. 1While I have disclosed the use of oppositely positioned screws for preventing contacting of the enameled surfaces of the leaves and table top, it is to be understood that my invention contemplates the provision of any suitable abutting or buffer means for holding` the leaves slightly spaced from the main table top and for preventing direct contact of such surfaces.

As a further feature of my invention I provide a novel pivot mounting for the leaf supporting legs 16. It has been customary in the manufacture of drop leaf tables to secure the leaf supporting members to the main table structure by means of hinges. This method is, however, very unsatisfactory because the leaf supporting member has a limited swinging movement. Due to this fact the hinges soon become loosened and frequently break because of the strains placed thereon when swinging the leaf supporting members into operative position. My invention eliminates these difficulties by the provision of the novel mounting for the leaf supporting legs 1G. rFliese legs are carried by the arms 17. The arms 1T are secured to the main table body through the medium of brackets 18 and 19 as shown more particularly in Figure 3. rllhe brackets 18 being secured to the underside of the eX- tensions 8 of the skeleton frame 7 while the brackets 19 are detachably secured to the lower edges 'of the side members of the ret. tangular frame 6. rlhe brackets 18 and 19 are each provided with a suitable bearing as indicated at 20. The arms 17 are rounded at their inner ends as indicated at 21 and each arm carries a pair of pintle members 22 driven into the upper and lower edges of the arms 17. These pintle members are adapted to cooperate with the bearings 2() formed in the bracket members 1S and 19v to form a pivotal mount-ing for the arms 17 which carry at their outer ends the supporting legs 16. Vrllhe bracket members 19 are Leovfrai secured. to the rectangular frame t3 by screws 2.3. rflic arrangement is such that the upper pintle :2:2 on an arm i7 can be placed in the bearing Qt) of the bracket Vttl and thereaft-er the bracket 19 secured in place on the frame 5 with the lower pintle Z2 positioned in the bearing 2O formed in the bracket 19.

lt is to be noted that the pivotal connections for the. arms 1T are slightly oli-set from the sides of the rectangular frame 5. Due to this fact and also due to the provision of the rounded ends 2l the arms 1T and the associated legs 16 can be swung into an out-of-operative position at either side of the pivotal mounting, that is, the legs ltl can be swung to describe a complete half-circle. This eliminates the placing of any undue strain upon the pivotal connections and therefore avoids loosening or `areaking of the various elements forming the pivotal connections. Furthermore it is unneces. ary to cut away any of the main table supporting frame. The overlapping extensions S provide ample space for receiving the leaf supporting legs 16 when the same are swung into inoperative position.

From the foregoing it will be seen ythat l have provided an improved table construction possessing new and practical features and while I have been specific in the description of my invention it is to be understood that such description is merely illustrative and that other modifications than those described may be employed if within the scope of the appended claims.

vWhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A drop leaf table comprising a main body portion, leaves hinged to said main body portion, said main body portion being provided with a top structure having an enameled metal surface member covering the top surface and side edges thereof, said leaves each being provided with an enameled metal surface member covering the upper side and the edges thereof, means for supporting said leaves when in elevated position and means effective when said table leaves are in elevated position for maintaining the enameled surfaces of the adjacent edges of said main body portion and said leaves in spaced relation to prevent contacting of the enameled surfaces of the leaves with the enameled surface of the main-body portionE 2. A drop leaf table, comprising a main body portion, a skeleton top frame adapted to be secured to said main body portion, an enameled surfaced metal covering for said skeleton frame, a pair of leaves hinged to said main body portion, each of said leaves comprising a skeleton frame and an enamel surfaced metal covering therefor and abutting means carried by the main body portion and said leaves for maintaining the enamel surfaces of the edges of the leaves adjacent the enamel surface covering of the main till les

table top in spaced relation to said main table top when said leaves are in elevated position, to prevent contacting of the enamel surfaces of the leaves With the ename-l surface of the main table top.

3. A drop leaf table comprising a main body portion having a top, leaves hinged to said main body portion, an enamel surfaced metal covering member for the top of said main body portion and enamel surfaced metal covering members for said leaves, screws for securing said metal covering members to the top of said main body portion and to said leaves, certain of said screws being slightly oversize and so arranged that their heads abut when the leaves are brought into alignment with the main table top.

4. A drop leaf table comprising a main table portion, a pair of leaves hinged to said main table portion, said main table portion comprising a rectangular frame to which a table top is secured, said table top extending beyond said frame at either side thereof, leaf supporting members, pivotally carried by said main table portion, the pivotal connections for said members comprising a pair of recessed brackets, one of said brackets being secured to the extending portion of the table top beyond the side of said rectangular frame, the other of said brackets being se* cured to said rectangular frame and extending a substantial distance beyond the side thereof, the recesses in said brackets being in vertical alignment and lying in a plane spaced a substantial distance from the side of said rectangular frame, pintle pins carried by said supporting member adjacent the inner end thereof, adapted to be received in said aligned recesses, the position of said recesses With respect to the rectangular frame and the position of said pintle pins With respect to the inner end of said supporting member being such that the supporting member can be swung through an arc of' 180O to permit moving of the supporting member from operative to inoperative position at either side of its axis.

WILLIAM A. HALL. 

